mtk540

I may be wrong but it sounds plasticky when you tap it... nowadays you dont know whats real and whats synthetic.

My 1999 540 was sold to me as a "Hi-line" although there is nowhere in any badging or documentation identifying it as such. I confirm what Jochen says as far as bells and whistles go. Also add heated seats, 2 way sunroof, my steering wheel is the 1/2 leather, 1/2 "woodgrain" - actually a bit tacky but I'm over it. Trim is the imitation woodgrain but I would have preferred the brushed aluminum a'la M5/X5. Doesn't have a high instrument cluster - no mention of that in the manual either. Edit: also has the chrome exterior window trim. Doesn't look that good with a black car so look for one with the shadowline (body colour/black) trim Apart from that I LOVE IT !!

Don't forget you get TWO votes under MMP - One for the seat and one party vote. Use the party vote wisely as this is the vote that in the end dictates how many seats the minorities get i.e. to get over the 5% threshold. Ignore the mud slinging by Labour - it's a sign that they are desperate. Me? Two ticks National.

E39 540 auto Christchurch town running, 98 BP I tank up at about 330 - 350 k's but she still has about 8 - 10 litres left Last fill the OBC showed about 16.2mpg (I'm old school) or 17.6litres/100 km A long trip e.g. CHC/PIC/CHC returns about 27mpg

You've possibly caught the "shimmy". Can be due to a variety of issues but I worked through the following steps: 1. front and rear wheel balance and alignment 2. replace front thrust arm bushes 3. replace front discs and pads Read this thread - "540 wheel issues" posted by MattA in Technical>Maintenance http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....ic=11892&hl or might just as easily be poor spec Singapore tyres Mike

Ditto what rotty said ! Seems there are a few E39 540's being purchased of late - and black too. Wait for Hotwire or Jochen to reply but as Glenn says I don't think you can display the correct frequency with our model unit. There is also a good thread on setting up the TV as well.

Currently among those in the CD stacker are The Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" and Bruce Springsteen "The Rising". However if it's the pre-school run in the morning The Wiggles "Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car" gets priority

My wife tells me off for hoarding my motoring magazines. Nicely stacked away in the garage sorted by publication and in chronological order. I know - anal (I'm an accountant, what do you expect?). Hate to think what I've spent over the last 25 years or so. My excuse is "I'll probably need to look something up one day." Well my dear, "one day" has arrived - it's TODAY. I've found the following mags with road tests of the E39 540, a car that many motoring writers at the time called the world's best saloon car of that era. Motor, July 2000 issue - 4 car comparison - actually it bought off Trade Me when I was researching buying my E39 540 BMW 540i Exec (A$150,900) Audi A6 4.2 quattro (A$135,400) Merc E340 Avantgarde (A$153,900) Jag S type 4.0 (A$115,500) They chose the Audi being better value for money NZ Autocar March 1998 issue - 2 car comparison BMW 540i SE (NZ$166,000) Merc E430 Avantgarde (NZ$175,000) They choose the Merc by a nose. ... now where's that Fast Lane with the E30 M3 Evo test ??? Mike

B**mmer !! I've got the same on the front passenger door. Grrrrrr.

Welcome to the E39 540 club. Have a safe and enjoyable drive home. Snow expected here in Chch so you may need to invest in some chains as you head towards the deep south this weekend!

Brent do you have a rear badge for a 1999 E39 at a good price? The ones on TM are a bit steep!The high pressure hose at the car groomer blew off the enamel and left me with a nice silver roundel and the BMW etching - mind you it was cracked so I was just waiting for it to happen. Mike

+1 ! I've always loved the original 24 ounce from when I was a youngster. Welcome to BS

I had a similar problem with the dashboard on my E39 - speedo and tacho didnt work, some OBC functions didnt work, and a few display lights stayed on. On advice from other BS members I simply disconnected the battery for 10 minutes. Everything was OK after that apart from losing the memory on the OBC functions. Can't hurt so give it a try.

Hi there fellow Cantabrian I have a 99 E39 540 with 18" rims and running 235/40 ZR on 8" fronts and 265/35 ZR on 9" rears. She tracks really nicely with this configuration although in saying that its due for an alignment. On purchase ex Japan it was fitted with a weird mix of Pirelli P7000 fronts and Bridgestone G3 rears. I put up with these until one didn't make it past a WOF so decided to replace all four. To keep the car all Euro I chose a German brand, Fulda, and the Exelero model which is one of their high performance tyres.

Chartered Accountant - Director/shareholder in a small firm with 4 others with 19 staff. We specialise in taxation, advisory services, commercial debt and equity funding, succession planning, mortgage broking. The BMW 540 is my company vehicle - thank goodness some else pays the fuel bills!

I saw that too ... $849 in Blue (or Black) Silver Fern or $749 in Classic Black. How prices have gone up! My MTK plate that I have (presently sitting in my top drawer) cost me $300 back in 2001.Nice M5 Ron. When did you sell the 540 and did you get good $$ for it? Mike

Being a bit more analytical, one for each purpose: Daily drive - Porsche 997 GT3 Classic - Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Toy - Ferrari F430 Scuderia Ski/tow mobile - BMW E70 X5 4.8i Family - Audi C6 RS6 Avant a close second were Daily Drive - BMW E39 M5 (MY2003) Classic - Ferrari 288 GTO Toy - Lamborghini Gallardo Ski/tow mobile - Audi Q7 4.2 Family - BMW E61 M5 Touring

mackt I have a young family myself. The most important things to me and my wife are safety and comfort. My E39 540 gives me great overtaking capabilities and nice cruising comfort on long trips around the South Island. It's got plenty of room (although the position of the SatNav box in the boot makes loading up sometimes a bit of a nightmare) and the leather is easy to clean off ice-cream and other spillages. I don't need to thrash it or go around corners at 9/10 ths - I'm past that now. If I did then I'd be pretty irresponsible especially if the little guy is in the back. Also, on checking my Autosure warranty I read that BMW Motorsport and Merc AMG variants are not covered in the policy... Go for the latest model and highest specs that you can afford or if you can stretch it, an X5 which is where I'll head next. Mike

PM Jochen. He's not in NZ at the moment but checks in now and then.

NICE ! but I think I'm with Yuen on this. And as kiwi535 says there really is only one rim for an E39 M kit...

Hey Try Dave = Fai+H777 He's just brought in a 2003 525 Touring - nice - and some Mercs He's been lurking on eurosport.org.nz lately so best try contact him there Also my bro-in-law is a sales exec with MSC shipping in Chch so he may be able to assist with organising freight. PM me if you want his details Mike

I stand corrected if that's what Cain meant.

Cain, it's not the fact that it's not much damage but that some moron has done it in the first place and the Doc has to foot the bill. I'm sure your reaction would be different if someone had coined one of Dennis' Ferraris.... Some people today have no respect for others property.

On checking the Autosure warranty details for my wifes A4 (needs some work done) I also read that ///M series vehicles are also excluded from their warranties. Cost of ownership for an ///M can be crippling.

Hi, I have an E39 540. I had trouble with the "E39 shimmy" a well documented vibration through the steering wheel at about 70-80kph and also under braking. There are several websites giving advice on the cure eg bimmer.roadfly.com Thrust arm bushes replaced along with new front discs and pads, new set of tyres to replace the Jap spec rubbish and alignment If you read through some threads here there are a few of us who have solved the shimmy in various ways Other than that its just the little annoying things like missing pixels and faded/scratched polycarb headlight lenses Other than that the E39 is magic Hope this helps Mike